This disclosure relates generally to earth working machines with ground engaging implements and, in particular, to tooth assemblies with replaceable tip and adapter systems attached to the leading or base edges of such ground engaging implements.
Earth moving machines known in the art are used for digging into the earth or rock and moving loosened work material from one place to another at a worksite. These machines and equipment typically include a body portion housing the engine and having rear wheels, tracks or similar components driven by the engine, and an elevated cab for the operator. The machines and equipment further include articulating mechanical arms or other types of linkages, such as Z-bar linkages, for manipulating one or more implements of the machine. The linkages are capable of raising and lowering the implements and rotating the implements to engage the ground or other work material in a desired manner. In the earth moving applications, the implements of the machines or other equipment are buckets provided with a beveled lip or blade on a base edge for moving or excavating dirt or other types of work material.
To facilitate the earth moving process, and to prolong the useful life of the implement, a plurality of tooth assemblies are spaced along the base edge of the implement and attached to the surface of the implement. The tooth assemblies project forward from the base edge as a first point of contact and penetration with work material, and to reduce the amount of wear of the base edge. With this arrangement, the tooth assemblies are subjected to the wear and breakage caused by repetitive engagement with the work material. Eventually, the tooth assemblies must be replaced, but the implement remains usable through multiple cycles of replacement tooth assemblies. Depending on the variety of uses and work material for the equipment, it may also be desirable to change the type or shape of the tooth assemblies to most effectively utilize the implement.
In many implementations, installation and replacement of the tooth assemblies may be facilitated by providing the tooth assemblies as a two-part system. The system may include an adapter that is attached to the base edge of the implement, a ground-engaging tip configured to be attached to the adapter, and a retention mechanism securing the tip to the adapter during use. The adapter may be welded, bolted or otherwise secured to the base edge, and then the tip may be attached to the adapter and held in place by the retention mechanism. The tip endures the majority of the impact and abrasion caused by engagement with the work material, and wears down more quickly and breaks more frequently than the adapter. Consequently, multiple tips may be attached to the adapter, worn down, and replaced before the adapter itself must be replaced. Eventually, the adapter may wear down and require replacement before the base edge of the implement wears out.
One example of a digging tooth assembly is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,481 to Fellner. The digging tooth for a bucket has a concave top surface and a convex bottom surface which intersect forming a forward cutting edge. Sidewalls connect the two surfaces and are concave having a moldboard shape. The rear portion of the tooth is provided with a mounting assembly for mounting the digging tooth to a bucket. The bottom surface continuously diverges from the forward cutting edge to the rear portion; whereas the top surface first converges then diverges from the forward cutting edge to the rear portion. The rear portion includes a shank receiving cavity with top and bottom walls that converge as the cavity extends forwardly within the tooth to give the cavity a triangular or wedge shape when viewed in profile.
An example of a loader bucket tooth is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,283 to Fellner. The digging tooth for a loader bucket includes a top surface having a concave configuration and a bottom surface having a flat forward portion and a convex rear portion. The flat forward portion and the top surface intersect to form a forward cutting edge. Sidewalls connect the two surfaces and are concave having a plowshare shape. The rear portion of the tooth is provided with a mounting assembly for mounting it to a bucket. The bottom surface continuously converges from the forward cutting edge to the rear portion; whereas the top surface first converges then diverges from the forward cutting edge to the rear portion. The rear portion includes a shank receiving cavity with bottom wall extending inwardly, and a top wall having a first portion extending approximately parallel to the bottom wall and a second portion angled toward the bottom wall and extending to a rounded front portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,982,035 to Stephenson provides an example of an excavator tooth having an adapter that attaches to the leading edge of a dipper body, and a tip that attaches to the adapter. The tip includes an upper surface and a lower surface that converge into a relatively sharp point, with the tip having a horizontal plane of symmetry. Upper and lower surfaces of the adapter have recessed central surfaces, with the upper central surface having a forward surface that diverges upwardly from the plane of symmetry and rounds into a forward surface of the adapter. The interior of the tip has corresponding planar surfaces that are received by the central surfaces of the adapter, and include forward surfaces diverging from the plane of symmetry as they approach a forward surface, with one of the forward surfaces of the tip abutting the forward surface of the adapter when the parts are appropriately assembled.
The implements as discussed may be used in a variety of applications having differing operating conditions. In loader applications, buckets installed on the front of wheel or track loaders have the bottom surfaces and base edges scrape along the ground and dig into the earth or pile of work material as the loader machine is driven forward. The forces on the tooth assembly as the bucket enters the pile push the tip into engagement with the corresponding adapter. The bucket is then raised and racked with the load of work material, and the loader moves and dumps the work material in another location. As the bucket is raised through the work material, force is exerted downwardly on the tooth assembly. With the combination of scraping and engagement with the work material, and in other types of bottom-wearing applications in which the bottom surface typically wears more quickly due to more frequent engagement with the work material, the wear material of the tip wears away from the front of the tip and from the bottom surface of the tip and adapter. The loss of wear material at the front of the tip converts the initially pointed front end of the tip into a rounded, blunt surface, similar to changing the hand from having extended fingers to having a closed fist. The worn down shape is less efficient at digging through the work material as the loader moves forward, though the tip may still have sufficient wear material to be used on the implement for a time before replacement.
In excavator applications and other types of top-wearing applications where the top surface typically wears more quickly due to more frequent engagement with the work material, the buckets engage and pass through the ground or work material at different angles than in bottom-wearing applications such as loader applications described above, and therefore cause wear material of the tooth assemblies to wear away in a different manner. An excavator device, such as a backhoe, initially engages the work material with the base edge and tooth assemblies oriented close to perpendicular with respect to the surface of the work material and generally enter the work material in a downward motion. After the initial penetration into the work material, the mechanical arm further breaks up the work material and collects a load of work material in the bucket by drawing the bucket back toward the excavator machine and rotating the bucket inwardly to scoop the work material into the bucket. The complex motion of the bucket causes wear at the tip of the tooth assembly during the downward penetration motion when the threes act to push the tip into engagement with the adapter. After the initial penetration, the bucket is drawn toward the machine and rotated to further in a scooping motion to break up the work material and begin to load the implement. During this motion, the forces initially act in a direction that is normal to the top surface of the tooth assembly, and the work material passes over and around the top of the tooth causing wear on the top surface of the tooth. As the implement rotates further and is drawn through the work material, the forces and work material again act on the tip of the tooth to cause wear at the tip. As with the loader tooth assemblies, the excavator tooth assemblies wear down to less efficient shapes after repeated forays into the work material, but may still retain sufficient wear material for continued use without replacement. In view of this, a need exists for improved tooth assembly designs for loader and excavator implements that distribute the wear material such that the tips dig into the work material more efficiently as wear material wears away from and reshapes the tips until the tips ultimately must be replaced.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, the invention is directed to a ground engaging tip of a tooth assembly for a cutting edge of a ground engaging implement, wherein the tooth assembly includes an adapter configured for attachment to a base edge of the ground engaging implement and having a forwardly extending adapter nose. The ground engaging tip may include a rear edge, a top outer surface, a bottom outer surface, wherein the top outer surface and the bottom outer surface extend forward from the rear edge and converge at a front edge, and oppositely disposed lateral outer surfaces extending upwardly from the bottom outer surface to the top outer surface. The ground engaging tip may further include an inner surface extending inwardly into the ground engaging tip from the rear edge and defining a nose cavity within the ground engaging tip having a complementary shape to the adapter nose of the adapter for receiving the adapter nose therein, and a pair of reliefs, each relief extending inwardly into the ground engaging tip from a corresponding one of the lateral outer surfaces, and wherein each relief is disposed proximate the front edge.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, the invention is directed to a ground engaging tip of a tooth assembly for a cutting edge of a ground engaging implement, wherein the tooth assembly includes an adapter configured for attachment to a base edge of the ground engaging implement and having a forwardly extending adapter nose. The ground engaging tip may include a rear edge, a top outer surface, a bottom outer surface, wherein the top outer surface and the bottom outer surface extend forward from the rear edge and converge at a forward front edge, oppositely disposed lateral outer surfaces extending upwardly from the bottom outer surface to the top outer surface, and an inner surface extending inwardly into the ground engaging tip from the rear edge and defining a nose cavity within the ground engaging tip having a complementary shape to the adapter nose of the adapter for receiving the adapter nose therein. The inner surface may include a bottom inner surface, a front inner surface, a top inner surface having a first support portion proximate the front inner surface, a second support portion proximate the rear edge of the ground engaging tip, and an intermediate portion extending between the first support portion and the second support portion, where a distance between the first support portion and the bottom inner surface is less than a distance between the second support portion and the bottom inner surface, and oppositely disposed side inner surfaces extending upwardly from the bottom inner surface to the top inner surface.
In a further aspect of the present disclosure, the invention is directed to a ground engaging tip of a tooth assembly for a cutting edge of a ground engaging implement, wherein the tooth assembly includes an adapter configured for attachment to a base edge of the ground engaging implement and having a forwardly extending adapter nose. The ground engaging tip may include a rear edge, a top outer surface, a bottom outer surface, wherein the top outer surface and the bottom outer surface extend forward from the rear edge and converge at a front edge, oppositely disposed lateral outer surfaces extending upwardly from the bottom outer surface to the top outer surface, wherein the lateral outer surfaces are tapered so that a distance between the lateral outer surfaces decreases as the lateral outer surfaces extend upwardly from the bottom outer surface toward the top outer surface, and an inner surface extending inwardly into the ground engaging tip from the rear edge and defining a nose cavity within the ground engaging tip having a complementary shape to the adapter nose of the adapter for receiving the adapter nose therein.
In a still further aspect of the present disclosure, the invention is directed to a adapter of a tooth assembly for a cutting edge of a ground engaging implement. The adapter may include a rearwardly extending top strap, a rearwardly extending bottom strap, wherein the top strap and the bottom strap define a gap there between for receiving the cutting edge of the ground engaging implement, and a forward extending adapter nose. The adapter nose may include a bottom surface, a front surface, a top surface having a first support surface proximate the front surface, a second support surface proximate the top strap and the bottom strap, and an intermediate surface extending between the first support surface and the second support surface, where a distance between the first support surface and the bottom surface is less than a distance between the second support surface and the bottom surface, and oppositely disposed side surfaces extending upwardly from the bottom surface to the top surface.
In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, the invention is directed to a ground engaging tooth assembly for a cutting edge of a ground engaging implement that may include an adapter and a ground engaging tip. The adapter may include a rearwardly extending top strap, a rearwardly extending bottom strap, wherein the top strap and the bottom strap define a gap there between for receiving the cutting edge of the ground engaging implement, and a forward extending adapter nose. The adapter nose may include a bottom surface, a front surface, a top surface having a first support surface proximate the front surface, a second support surface proximate the top strap and the bottom strap, and an intermediate surface extending between the first support surface and the second support surface, where a distance between the first support surface and the bottom surface is less than a distance between the second support surface and the bottom surface, and oppositely disposed side surfaces extending upwardly from the bottom surface to the top surface. The ground engaging tip may include a rear edge, a top outer surface, a bottom outer surface, wherein the top outer surface and the bottom outer surface extend forward from the rear edge and converge at a forward front edge, oppositely disposed lateral outer surfaces extending upwardly from the bottom outer surface to the top outer surface, and an inner surface extending inwardly into the ground engaging tip from the rear edge and defining a nose cavity within the ground engaging tip having a complementary shape to the adapter nose of the adapter for receiving the adapter nose therein.
Additional aspects of the invention are defined by the claims of this patent.
Although the following text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that the legal scope of the invention is defined by the words of the claims. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment of the invention. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims defining the invention.
It should also be understood that, unless a term is expressly defined in this patent using the sentence “As used herein, the term ‘_’ is hereby defined to mean . . . ” or a similar sentence, there is no intent to limit the meaning of that term, either expressly or by implication, beyond its plain or ordinary meaning, and such term should not be interpreted to be limited in scope based on any statement made in any section of this patent other than the language of the claims. To the extent that any term recited in the claims at the end of this patent is referred to in this patent in a manner consistent with a single meaning, that is done for sake of clarity only so as to not confuse the reader, and it is not intended that such claim term be limited, by implication or otherwise, to that single meaning. Finally, unless a claim element is defined by reciting the word “means” and a function without the recital of any structure, it is not intended that the scope of any claim element be interpreted based on the application of 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph.
Referring now to
Adapter for Bottom-Wearing Applications (
An embodiment of the adapter 12 is shown in greater detail in
The adapter 12 may be secured in place on the base edge 18 of the implement 1, 6 by attaching the top strap 20 and the bottom strap 22 to the base edge 18 using any connection method or mechanism known to those skilled in the art. In one embodiment, the straps 20, 22 and the base edge 18 may have corresponding apertures (not shown) through which fasteners (not shown) such as bolts or rivets may be inserted to hold the adapter 12 in place. Alternatively, the top and bottom straps 20, 22 may be welded to the corresponding top and bottom surfaces 32, 36 of the base edge 18 so that the adapter 12 and the base edge 18 do not move relative to each other during use. To reduce the impact of the top and bottom surface welds on the strength of the metal of the base edge 18, the straps 20, 22 may be configured with different shapes so as to minimize the overlap of the welds formed on the top surface 32 and bottom surface 36 of the base edge 18. As seen in
Those skilled in the art will understand that other connection configurations for the adapter 12 may be provide as alternatives to the top and bottom straps 20, 22 illustrated and described above. For example, the rear portion of the adapter 12 may be provided with a single top strap 20 and no bottom strap 22, with the top strap 20 being attached to the top surface 32 of the base edge 18. Conversely, a single bottom strap 22 and no top strap 20 may be provided, with the bottom strap 22 being attached to the bottom surface 36 of the base edge 18. As a further alternative, a single center strap may be provided on the rear portion of the adapter 12, with the center strap being inserted into a gap in the base edge 18 of the implement 1, 6. Further alternative adapter attachment configurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and are contemplated by the inventor as having use in tooth assemblies in accordance with the present disclosure.
Returning to
The top surface 44 of the nose 26 may be configured to support the tip 14 during use of the implement 1, 6, and to facilitate retention of the tip 14 on the nose 26 when bearing the load of the work material. The top surface 44 may include a first support surface 52 disposed proximate the front surface 50, an intermediate sloped surface 54 extending rearwardly from the first support surface 52 toward the intermediate portion 24, and the second support surface 56 located between the intermediate surface 54 and the intersection with the intermediate portion 24 of the adapter 12. Each of the surfaces 52, 54, 56 may have a generally planar configuration, but may be oriented at angles with respect to each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the first support surface 52 may be approximately parallel to the bottom surface 42, and may have a slight draft angle to facilitate removal from a mold or die. The second support surface 56 may also be oriented approximately parallel to the bottom surface 42 and the first support surface 52. Further, relative to the longitudinal axis A, the second support surface 56 may be disposed at a higher elevation on the adapter 12 than the first support surface 52. The intermediate surface 54 extends between a rear edge 52a of the first support surface 52 and a transition area 56a of the second support surface 56, with the distance between the intermediate surface 54 and the bottom surface 42 increasing as the intermediate surface 54 approaches the second support surface 56. In one embodiment, the intermediate surface 54 may be oriented at an angle α of approximately 30° with respect to the bottom surface 42 of the nose 26, the top surface 34 of the bottom strap 22, and the first and second support surfaces 52, 56. The slope of the intermediate surface 54 facilitates insertion of the nose 26 into the cavity of the tip 14, while the broad, flat intermediate surface 54 limits the twisting of the tip 14 once the tip 14 is installed on the nose 26. The first and second support surfaces 52, 56 also assist in maintaining the orientation of the tip 14 on the adapter 12 as will be discussed more fully below.
The side surfaces 46, 48 of the nose 26 may be generally planar and extend upwardly between the bottom surface 42 and the top surface 44. A cylindrical surface 58 substantially coaxially oriented along an axis “B”. The axis “B” is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis “A”. The cylindrical surface 58 may extend through the nose 26 and the side surfaces 46, 48 for receipt of a retention mechanism (not shown) for holding the tip 14 on the nose 26. The cylindrical surface 58 may be positioned to align with the retention apertures 16 (
The front surface 50 of the nose 26 may be planar as shown in
General Duty Tip for Bottom-Wearing Applications (
The tip 14 of the tooth assembly 10 is shown in greater detail in
The bottom outer surface 74 may also be generally planar but with an intermediate elevation change at a bottom transition area 80a of the transition area 80 on the bottom outer surface 74. Consequently, a rear portion 86 of the bottom outer surface 74 may extend the rear edge 70 is approximately perpendicular relation to the transition area 80a until the bottom outer surface 74 transitions to a lower front portion 88. The front portion 88 may also be oriented approximately perpendicular to the rear edge 70, and may extend to the front edge 76 at an elevation below the rear portion 86 by a distance d1. When the tooth assembly 10 digs into the work material, a majority of the abrasion between the tip 14 and the work material occurs at the front edge 76, the tip portion 84 of the top outer surface 72, and the front portion 88 of the bottom outer surface 74 of the tip 14. By lowering the front portion 88 of the bottom outer surface 74, additional wear material is provided at the high abrasion area to extend the useful life of the tooth assembly 10.
The tip 14 also includes lateral outer surfaces 90, 92 extending between the top outer surface 72 and the bottom outer surface 74 on either side of the tip 14. Each of the lateral outer surfaces 90, 92 may have a corresponding one of the retention apertures 16 extending therethrough in a location between the rear portions 78, 86. As best seen in the top view of
Returning to
The tip 14 may be configured to be received onto the nose 26 of the adapter 12. In the rear view of the tip 14 in
The cross-sectional view of
The top inner surface 124 may be shaped to mate with the top surface 44 of the nose 26, and may include a first support portion 132, a sloped intermediate portion 134, and a second support portion 136. The first and second support portions 132, 136 may be generally planar and approximately parallel to the bottom inner surface 122, but may have a slight downward slope corresponding to the orientation that may be provided in the first and second support surfaces 52, 56 of the top surface 44 of the nose 26 to facilitate removal from a mold or die. The intermediate portion 134 of the top inner surface 124 may extend between a rear edge 132a of the first support portion 132 and a transition area 136a of the second support portion 136, with the distance between the intermediate portion 134 and the bottom inner surface 122 increasing in a similar manner as between the intermediate surface 54 and the bottom surface 42 of the nose 26. Consistent with the relationship between the bottom surface 42 and intermediate surface 54, the intermediate portion 134 may be oriented at an angle α of approximately 30° with respect to the bottom inner surface 122 and the first and second support portions 132, 136.
The front inner surface 130 of the nose cavity 120 has a shape corresponding to the front surface 50 of the nose 26, and may be planar as shown or have the necessary shape to be complementary to the shape of the front surface 50. As shown in
Abrasion Tip for Bottom-Wearing Applications (
Depending on the particular environment in which the tooth assemblies 10 are being used, the tip 14 of the tooth assembly 10 as illustrated and described above with respect to
Penetration Tip for Bottom-Wearing Applications (
Where the tooth assemblies 10 are being used in rocky environments where a greater ability to penetrate the work material may be required, it may be required to provide the tip having a sharper penetration end for breaking up the work material. Referring to
Tooth assemblies 10 in accordance with the present disclosure incorporate features that may extend the useful life of the tooth assemblies 10 and improve the efficiency of the tooth assemblies 10 in penetrating into the work material. As discussed above, the substantially inverted keystone-shaped contour 93 of the tip 14, for example, places a greater amount of wear material towards the bottom of the tip 14 where a greater amount of abrasion occurs in bottom-wearing applications. At the same time, wear material is removed from the upper portion of the tip 14 where less abrasion occurs, thereby reducing the weight and the cost of the tip 14. The distribution of wear material on the adapter 12 similarly places additional wear material in the bottom strap 22 where more wear takes place, and less wear material in the top strap 20 that is subjected to a relatively lesser amount of abrasion, though in some implementations the top strap 20 may need to be thicker than dictated by abrasion to provided sufficient strength and prevent breakage due to the loading forces.
The design of the tooth assemblies 10 in accordance with the present disclosure may also reduce the stresses applied to the retention mechanism connecting the tip 14 to the adapter 12. Using the adapter 12 and tip 14 for illustration in
In contrast, in the tooth assemblies 10 in accordance with the present disclosure, the support surfaces 52, 56 of the adapter nose 26 may be engaged by the corresponding support portions 132, 136 that define the nose cavity 120. As shown in the cross-sectional view of
Due to the tolerances within the retention mechanism, the tip 14 may be able to slide forward on the nose 26 of the adapter 12 is illustrated in
The configuration of the tooth assemblies 10 according to the present disclosure may also facilitate a reduction in the shear stresses on the retention mechanisms when forces are applied that may otherwise tend to cause the tips 14, 180, 190 to slide off the nose 26 of the adapter 12. Because adapter noses known in the art typically have a generally triangular configuration and taper laterally as the noses extend forward from the straps, forces applied during use may generally influence the tips to slide off the front of the adapter noses. Such movement is resisted by the retention mechanism, thereby causing shear stresses. The adapter nose 26 of the adapter 12 in accordance with the present disclosure may at least in part counterbalance to forces tending to cause the tips 14, 180, 190 to slide off the adapter nose 26.
In
In previously known tip assemblies having continuously sloping top surfaces of the noses, the first resultant force FR1 would tend to cause the tip to slide off the front of the nose, and thereby cause additional strain on the retention mechanism. In contrast, the orientation of the front support surface 52 of the adapter 12 with respect to the intermediate surface 54 of the adapter 12 causes the tip 14 to slide into engagement with the nose 26.
In addition to the retention benefits of the configuration of the nose 26 of the adapter 12 and the nose cavities 120 of the tips 14, 180, 190 as discussed above, the tooth assemblies 10 may provide benefits in during use in top-wearing and bottom-wearing applications. The geometric configuration of the tips 14, 180, 190 of the tooth assemblies 10 in accordance with the present disclosure may provide improved efficiency in penetrating work material in bottom-wearing applications over the useful life of the tips 14, 180, 190 as compared to tips previously known in the art. As wear material is worn away from the front of the tips 14, 180, 190, the reliefs 102, 104, 174, 176, 204, 206 may provide a self-sharpening feature to the tips 14, 180, 190 providing improved penetration where previously known tips may become blunted and shaped more like a first than a cutting tool. The front view of the tip 14 in
The wear material of the tip 14 continues to wear away rearwardly toward the reliefs 102, 104.
As shown in
While the preceding text sets forth a detailed description of numerous different embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that the legal scope of the invention is defined by the words of the claims set forth at the end of this patent. The detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment of the invention since describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, not impossible. Numerous alternative embodiments could be implemented, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this patent, which would still fall within the scope of the claims defining the invention.
This application is continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/578,237, filed Dec. 19, 2014, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/644,429, filed Oct. 4, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,943,716, issued Feb. 3, 2015, and entitled “IMPLEMENT TOOTH ASSEMBLY WITH TIP AND ADAPTER,” which is based upon and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/545,276 to Renski et al. filed on Oct. 10, 2011. The entire contents of all of the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference.
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